Archive for the ‘Volvo V90’ Category

High-riding vehicles, like crossovers and SUVs are at the height of popularity right now, but they’re not the only way to go if you want practicality and some off-road capability. Crossover style raised wagons are a great alternative and while they can still drive you over a rough field or rutted road with ease, they’re better to drive on road and actually pretty stylish.

They are essentially the wagon versions of different cars which have gained extra ride height and plastic cladding on the outside to protect them from scratches in their most vulnerable points. These vehicles usually have standard all-wheel drive and are usually a higher trim level, so they are not cheap (compared to the vehicle they’re based on) but they also come with a lot of equipment.

Here’s a list of the 13 coolest crossover-style wagons you can buy today.

Americans are not really station wagon people and prefer SUVs, but Volvo reckons their latest sports tourer stands a good chance of altering the long established habits of the Yanks. The new Volvo V90 R-Design is the tourer in question, a sexy and practical – hard trick to pull – family car now available form $49,950.

Now, there is no doubt that that is a hefty price, especially taking into account that it can buy you some fins SUVs and sports pickup trucks. But what Volvo V90 R-Design has, besides everything that makes it a good car, is a heavy dose of coolness and a unique appearance and flair you just cannot find in the above-mentioned classes of vehicle. The fact that it is offered only in Inscription or R-Design trims shows that Volvo is aiming for a small and very exclusive market here.

As for specs and details and all that, the 2017 Volvo V90 comes with classy features such as 12” Sensus Connect Touchscreen, open-pore wood trim and Nappa leather, Panoramic moonroof, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard along with City Safety, which includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist and large animal detection. Your choice of engines include T5 FWD, turbo-charged Drive-E engine or T6 AWD, turbo and super-charged powertrain.

Volvo has been making Cross Country style wagons for nearly two decades now, with the latest iteration dropping earlier this year in the form of a beefed-up V90. The formula is designed to offer an alternative to the ever-popular crossover body style, matching a high-rider stance, rugged body panels, AWD handling and grip, and plenty of luxury and tech with a spacious cabin. Now, Volvo has handed the keys over to Polestar, the Swedish brand’s dedicated performance division and racing team. Polestar has already had a crack at upgrading the new V90, blessing the five-door with a sharper throttle, quicker shifts, and a more potent engine. Rather than transforming the model into a full-blown sports car, Polestar says it “optimized” what was already there, and now, it’s doing the same thing to the V90 Cross Country softroader.

The result appears to be a nice blend of performance chops and rugged capability, all in a comfortable, wagon-fashion package. Like the optimized V90 that came before, the V90 Cross Country by Polestar sees upgrades to its throttle response, shift times, and engine output, adding just a little extra where it counts if you happen to have that performance mindset.

“Our product provides performance-oriented customers with a new level of driving pleasure,” says Niels Moller, Chief Operating Officer at Polestar. Most recently, we’ve seen Polestar’d variants of the S90sedan and XC90, not to mention the non-cross-country V90, and this new tuned-up crossover killer looks to expand the line even further.

Intrigued? Read on for the details.

Continue reading to learn more about the Volvo V90 Cross Country By Polestar.

At this point, it should be more than obvious that if you want a car with utility and space for at least five people, but don’t wanna join the crowd of crossovers you see crammed onto the roads, your best option is to get your hands on a wagon. Once a steadfast bastion of the practical, wagons have seen a sharp decline in popularity over the last few decades, the result of an all-out assault from the tall-bodied insanity of the current SUV craze. But fear not – the wagon hasn’t gone gently into that good night, at least not yet, and we’ve assembled five top-shelf options right here for your perusal and approval.

Rather than limiting ourselves to what’s currently available, we decided to look ahead in anticipation of what’ll be in dealers in the next year or so, including both existing offerings and those that have yet to be released. As it turns out, there are a few very strong entries barreling down the pipeline right now, which means buyers will have a nice selection of premium wagons when shopping in 2017.

So what’s topping the menu? Read on to find out.

Continue reading to learn more about TopSpeed’s Top 5 Premium Wagons for 2017.

The Volvo S90 was launched in 2016 as a replacement for the aging S80 and revived a nameplate the Swedish brand last used in 1998. The new sedan is not only larger than its predecessor, but also a significant departure in terms of design. The exterior styling is based on the new language introduced with the XC90, while the interior takes the sedan up a couple of steps on the premium ladder, bringing it in line with similar offerings from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. As promised a few years ago, the engine lineup consists only of small-displacement, four-cylinder powerplants. But, while they might not sound as good as Volvo’s old V-8, they deliver a lot of oomph and return impressive fuel economy in most configurations. The V90 is offered in identical specifications, but with a boxier, wagon rear end instead of the sedan’s coupe-like design.

With both the sedan and station wagon already on sale globally, Volvo is busy creating all sorts of versions based on its range-topping, non-SUV model. The most important addition to the lineup will arrive in the form of Polestar-badged vehicles with sportier exteriors and beefed-up drivetrains, but the company wants to bridge the gap with a few models that offer increased performance without the aggressive appearance of a proper Polestar. This strategy isn’t new, but for the new generation of cars, Volvo wants to add more upgrades to the drivetrain and not just a bit more horsepower and torque.

The first warmed-up Volvos are set to arrive in October 2016 and, while details about what they will bring to the table are still scarce, the company has published the first official photos.

Continue reading to learn more about the Volvo S90 And V90 With Polestar Performance Optimization Package.

Over the past several months, Volvo has been very busy sprucing up the top of its product lineup, introducing the next-generation XC90 crossover,S90 sedan, and V90 wagon in quick succession. Now that each of these models is out and available for public inspection, it looks as though the Swedish brand is prepping a new rough-and-ready V90 variant to add to the list. It’s called the V90 Cross Country, and it’s essentially a Swedish take on soft-roader utility, sans the SUV body style. That means the same extended roofline and luxurious interior as the regular V90, plus a taller stance, tough exterior body cladding, and drivetrain selections limited to only the most powerful Volvo engine options available.

The premium midsize station wagon was recently spotted in Southern Europe undergoing testing in full camouflage. With the recent release of the standard V90 at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, it’s expected the V90 Cross Country will debut sometime early into 2017. Whether or not it’ll come stateside remains up in the air, but either way, read on for my speculative review.

The Brits have a special relationship with Volvo cars, which is why it’s always an occasion when they launch a new model in the British market. This month they’re releasing two, the new Volvo S90 and its wagon version, the V90. And they appear to be so good, the English would struggle to make fun of them.

That’s what they do with Volvos, these Brits. They like to mock them. To be fair though, it’s usually the kind of people who drive Volvos in Britain that are the subject of verbal abuse. That probably won’t be a problem for the new Volvo S90 and V90, since they are so sleek, good-looking and classy, a traditional Volvo buyers will not be able to stand it. They are going to go and get a Hyundai or something.

At any rate, the Volvo S90 sedan starts at £32,555 which is what you pay for a Momentum trim powered by a 190 hp 2.0 liter turbo engine delivering an excellent 64.2 mpg. The 235 hp D5 model is more expensive at £39,555, but it offers more power and still brilliant 58.9 mpg. The same engines are available with Inscription trim level, costing £35,555 and £42,055 respectively. As for the V90 Wagon, it gets the same engines and trims, but on average it’s about two grand more, starting at £34,555 and ending at £44,055.

The new S90 and V90 Volvos are both well-equipped cars, featuring in the standard Momentum trim stuff like leather upholstery, LED headlights with active high beam, two-zone climate control with ‘CleanZone’ air-filtration system, keyless engine starting and heated front seats. Notable additions with the Inscription grade include Nappa soft leather upholstery, 18-inch wheels, and 12.3” active TFT driver’s information display.

Going back to what they do best, which is making hugely practical and fairly box-shaped cars, Volvo released today the first pictures of V90 station wagon (estate) prior to the car’s debut at the Geneva Motor Show. Depending on your view, Volvo V90 could be called either a short XC90 SUV or a S90 sedan with a big butt.

Volvo V90 is a premium product from the car maker’s top-of-the-line 90 series, featuring a very classy look, high-end features, and excellent quality. Maybe it was a bit harsh calling it, boxy as the design has some nice curves to it, as well as nice LED-infused headlights and just the right amount of brightwork to make the car look interesting.

Detailed specs of the new Volvo V90 Estate are yet to be revealed, but in the official bumf the car maker mentions Pilot Assist semi-autonomous drive technology, the most advanced standard safety package on the market, including Large Animal Detection and Run-off Road Mitigation, and connectivity features such as smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay as the main technology highlights of the car. Stay tuned for more facts and figures over the coming days.

“The modern premium estate is all about the intriguing combination of a luxurious experience with the functional origins of the estate silhouette. The sophisticated ambience of our new Volvo interiors is combined with a great cargo space, providing the right kind of functionality – whether through connectivity or cargo and storage solutions,” said Thomas Ingenlath, Senior Vice President for Design at Volvo Cars.

Going back to what they do best, which is making hugely practical and fairly box-shaped cars, Volvo released today the first pictures of V90 station wagon (estate) prior to the car’s debut at the Geneva Motor Show. Depending on your view, Volvo V90 could be called either a short XC90 SUV or a S90 sedan with a big butt.

Volvo V90 is a premium product from the car maker’s top-of-the-line 90 series, featuring a very classy look, high-end features, and excellent quality. Maybe it was a bit harsh calling it, boxy as the design has some nice curves to it, as well as nice LED-infused headlights and just the right amount of brightwork to make the car look interesting.

Detailed specs of the new Volvo V90 Estate are yet to be revealed, but in the official bumf the car maker mentions Pilot Assist semi-autonomous drive technology, the most advanced standard safety package on the market, including Large Animal Detection and Run-off Road Mitigation, and connectivity features such as smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay as the main technology highlights of the car. Stay tuned for more facts and figures over the coming days.

“The modern premium estate is all about the intriguing combination of a luxurious experience with the functional origins of the estate silhouette. The sophisticated ambience of our new Volvo interiors is combined with a great cargo space, providing the right kind of functionality – whether through connectivity or cargo and storage solutions,” said Thomas Ingenlath, Senior Vice President for Design at Volvo Cars.

Discontinued in 1998 after only two years on the market, the V90 returned as Volvo’s flagship wagon in 2016. The new V90 is built on Volvo’s new Scaleable Production Architecture platform, which already underpins the XC90 SUV and the S90. As a result, the wagon also uses the same drivetrains as the S90, which in turn borrowed them from the XC90.

Likewise, the V90 features the same design language as the sedan and gets a similar interior, which makes it one of the most luxurious grocery getters on the market. Of course, the wagon received a redesigned rear end and a more practical interior with enhanced luggage space, but the sedan’s premium features and state-of-the-art technology are still there.

More good news comes from the availability department, as Volvo confirmed that the V90 will be sold in the United States. Unveiled on North American soil at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show, the V90 became Volvo’s first wagon in the U.S. in many years. Although the brand still offers the V60 on these shores, it comes in Cross Country spec with a more rugged, crossover-like appearance.

Discontinued in 1998 after only two years on the market, the V90 will return as Volvo’s flagship wagon in 2016. Although a launch date has yet to be provided, the V90 was confirmed by the Swedish automaker and its design surfaced the Interwebz ahead of time by means of leaked photos of 1:43 diecast model cars (just like it happened to the S90 sedan).

The V90 will be built on Volvo’s new Scaleable Production Architecture platform, which already underpins the XC90 SUV and the S90. That means the wagon will likely use the same drivetrains as the S90, which in turn borrowed them from the XC90. Likewise, the V90 will feature the same design language as the sedan and get a similar interior. Of course, the wagon will have a redesigned rear end and a more practical interior with enhanced luggage space.

Whether the V90 will be sold Stateside is unknown, but should Volvo bring it here, it will be a nice change of pace for the market, which only offers a handful of wagons as of 2015. Volvo still sells the V60 in North America. but discontinued the larger V70 after the 2011 model year and promoted the perched XC70 as a replacement.

While the V90 may seem like a mystery at this point, the fact that Volvo already released plenty of details on the brand-new S90 makes it easier to speculate about what the wagon will bring to the table. And, we will do just that in the review below.

Updated 02/09/2016: Volvo officially confirmed that the new V90 will be unveiled on February 18 in Stockholm, Sweden. According to the company, “The V90 is a car that benefits from over 60 years of estate building heritage that started with the Volvo Duett which was launched in 1953 – the first car to meet the combined needs of drivers’ active leisure time and practical professional lives.”

Volvo caused quite a stir in the automotive world by unveiling the new flagship sedan, the luxurious and elegant S90. As is often the case with hot new cars, we have already seen the car turned, virtually, into many different variants, including a cool Polestar version. Now let’s check out the car in wagon guise in this fine rendering of the Volvo V90.

If Volvo’s other products are any indication, the Wagon version of the saloon model should begin with ‘V’ in the same way the saloon begins with ’S’. The real question here, though, is if Volvo really is going to make a wagon version of the S90 which we can call Volvo V90?

It does make perfect sense, of course, if you look at it from a practical point of view. But it may not be a good strategy since the addition of a wagon variant will rob the luxury S90 of some of its charisma and prestige. It is like if Mercedes made a wagon version of the S-Class and BMW a 7-Series T-model. It just doesn’t feel right.

That said, this Volvo V90 rendering by Rain Prisk Designs does look hella good to us. Maybe that’s because the name Volvo has a strong association with wagon cars, so we subconsciously believe all their products should have a boxy shape!